Blog

Jamie Jean Schneider Domm

Digital Strategist for the North American Division

If you’re like me, you’ve hit a creative roadblock at some point. Doesn’t matter if you’re a pastor, Christian vlogger, or a digital disciple, we have all run out of content ideas and sat staring at our laptops at some point. As digital missionaries, we want to create relevant content, but may not always be sure what people are searching for online. Our purpose is to meet the needs of people in the digital space, and luckily, the inspiration we need lies in tools many of us use every day. If we’re strategic and intentional with the content we create, we can provide people with the answers and connection they are looking for online.​We've said this before: people are Googling for God, and it’s still very true.

Each year there are millions of Google searches for answers to questions like:

Is God real?

What happens when we die?

How do I know I’m saved?

Why is there so much suffering in the world?

There is a great need for our message of hope. Additionally, many people are hurting, entertaining suicidal thoughts, or feel there is no hope for their situation. They turn to the internet for companionship, understanding, information, anonymity, and more. It’s easier for them to pour out their heartfelt searching to Google or on social media than it is to talk to a friend, neighbor, co-worker, or family member. Consequently, this is where we, as disciples, need to cast our net. To do that, we need to use the kind of spiritual food the fish are looking to feed on.

Here is our easy tip for a wealth of content ideas:

Find content, write content, and curate content related to top Google searches. Frame your posts to pique curiosity and answer people’s questions, addressing their deepest longings. You can get top search data from any search engine, YouTube, and other social media trend tracking sites. Try it. Start typing in a question and let the search engine auto-finish. The top results represent the most popular search queries. In other words, you will see what large numbers of people are searching for online. It gives you a sneak peek into their needs, worries, nagging questions, and often hidden longings.​These trends allow us to predict what topics audiences may find interesting, and we can use this predictability to speak to the masses in a relevant way. When we make content that speaks to the spiritual needs of people and seeks to address their deepest longings, we can change lives through digital evangelism.

Bonus Tips:

Explore ​Google Trends for more ideas that can be specific to your location.

Name your blog post, video, etc. the same as the search result you’re basing your content on, so the search engines match it to that specific query. This helps your content appear higher in the search results and receive greater visibility. For example, you could start typing “Does God…” into the Google search box and choose the top-ranking query in this example below “…test us.” Then create a blog post and/or video named “Does God test us?”